Method of dyeing fiber with mugwort and product dyed thereby

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort for effectively maintaining health and preventing diseases by applying mugwort constituents to fibers. The method comprises the steps of making a mugwort salt bath by adding mugwort powder or extraction liquor to water; heating the salt bath; putting the fiber to be dyed in the salt bath and stirring it for 10 to 30 minutes at a temperature of 50 to 100 C; rinsing and drying the fiber; and then dipping the fiber in an aqueous solution of organic binder with a temperature of 50 to 80 C for 5 to 10 minutes, drying the fiber afterwards. In another embodiment, to apply mugwort to synthetic fibers, a predetermined amount of mugwort extraction liquor may be added to a resin to be used in the process of producing fibrous yarns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort, and more particularly to a method of dyeing fibrous products such as yams, textile fabrics, clothes and so on by using juice extracted from mugwort or dry and fine-ground mugwort powder and a fiber dyed thereby.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Mugwort is a perennial composite plant. Its chlorophyll functions to transpire interferon, prevents human cells from being infected by a virus, activates blood circulation and dilates peripheral vessels. And the mugwort has efficacies of eliminating a chill and making skin soft and bright

[0005] Our ancestors used mugwort extensively for food or medicinal purposes from old times. Until now, the mugwort is being widely used for bedding, mats and the like, particularly, in a bath, sitting bath and the like because it is good for female diseases.

[0006] In the meantime, fibers include natural fibers, synthetic fibers, blended fibers and so on. These fibers are dyed using a variety of natural and chemical dyes to produce a desired color. Recently, natural dyes, which are harmless to human bodies, including persimmon juice are getting popular. However, there has been no case of applying mugwort, which good for human bodies, yet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort capable of preventing decoloration and stains when the mugwort is dyed on cotton products, nylon, polyester and the like and a product dyed thereby.

[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort which can be a help to keep health by applying the efficacies of the mugwort particularly good for women's health to underwear, sanitary pads, stockings, non-woven fabrics, etc. and a product dyed thereby.

[0009] To achieve the above object, there is provided a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort according to the present invention, which comprises a first step of making a mugowt salt bath by adding mugwort powder or mugwort extraction liquor to water; a second step of heating the mugwort salt bath made in the first step, putting a fiber to be dyed therein and stirring the same for 10 to 30 minutes while keeping the temperature of the mugwort salt bath at 50 to 100° C.; and a third step of rinsing the fiber treated in the second step and drying the same.

[0010] In the present invention, in order to use mugwort in the form of powder, firstly, picked mugwort is rinsed with water and then is dried as it is or dried after blanching it. Then it is crushed at a grain size of less than 500 μm, preferably, at a minimum grain size. If the grain size of mugwort powder is more than 500 μm, some of the mugwort powder is sunk in a mugwort salt bath. And when the sunk powder heats and stirs the salt bath, it performs the same action as a boiling chip and thus it can generate stains on a fibrous product to be dyed or beat fibers, thereby damaging the product.

[0011] In order to use mugwort in the form of an extraction liquor, picked mugwort is rinsed with water, is soaked in suitable water, is boiled by heating it for a long time, and then is added to water appropriately.

[0012] The addition amount of mugwort powder and its extraction liquor can be adjusted selectively in consideration of the dyeing level of underwear to be dyed.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferred to use timeworn absimthium as possible. The reason thereof is because timeworn mugwort is known to have excellent efficacies.

[0014] A mugwort salt bath is manufactured using such mugwort powder or mugwort extraction liquor. And the salt bath is heated and is kept at a temperature of 50 to 100° C. Then a fiber to be dyed is impregnated and is slowly stirred for 10 to 30 minutes, for thereby dyeing mugwort constituents onto the fiber.

[0015] The reason why the temperature of the mugwort salt bath is kept at more than 50° C. is because a dye concentration is low at an ambient temperature. In case that mugwort powder is applied, it is preferable that a salt bath of a temperature of 90 to 100° C. is used for the following reasons. That is, if a fiber is dyed at a high temperature, the fiber is expanded to make air holes broadened and fine particles of the mugwort powder are intercalated into the air holes. Thus, it becomes possible to prevent the loss of mugwort powder during laundry, as well as to enable a larger amount of the mugwort powder to be dyed on the fiber. In case of with mugwort extraction liquor, the fiber can be dyed even at a low temperature of 80 to 100° C.

[0016] Next, the dyed fiber is drawn from the salt bath, is rinsed with water and then is dried. Afterwards, the fiber is dipped uniformly in an aqueous solution, which is a mixture of moisture acid organic binder (mordant) and water with a weight ratio of 200 to 0.8 to 1.2 and keeps a temperature of 50 to 80° C. Then it is drawn and dried, thus completing the product of the present invention. In case of using the mugwort powder, it is necessary to apply the above process to bind the mugwort powder on the fiber. However, in using the mugwort extraction liquor, this process can be performed optionally.

[0017] At this time, the mordant is a well-known mordant and it refers to an agent for binding to fibers dyestuffs, which are not dyed directly on fibers because they are insufficient in the affinity for fibers, thereby accomplishing dyeing. It is a drug generally used in dye works. When such a mordant is functionally descripted, it can be means for accomplishing dyeing by binding a dye on the fiber. Thus, it can be referred to as an organic binder.

[0018] The organic binder used as a mordant is a water soluble material made by mixing an oil soluble polymer compound such as polyurethane with an appropriate amount of a detergent. If the mixture ratio of binder to water is less than 200:0.8, it is not possible to get an enough binding effect. On the other hand, if the mixture ratio of binder to water is more than 200:1.2, it is not possible to get a binding effect of a higher level. Besides, natural binders, which have been used from old times, can be used.

[0019] In the present invention, when it is desired to dye synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester and so on, a predetermined amount of mugwort extraction liquor may be added to an original material to be suspended in the process of producing fibrous yarns (gray yarns). In this case, the amount of binder can be increased depending on the amount of mugwort extraction liquor to be added to the original material.

[0020] Also, in the case of fibers using the mugwort extraction liquor in the producing of gray yarns, another mugwort dyeing can be carried out optionally after weaving fibers and finishing clothes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] Hereinafter, the method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying examples.

EXAMPLES 1 AND 2

[0022] 200 g mugwort powder having a grain size of 500 μm, which is acquired by drying and crushing absinthium is dried and crushed, is put in a container containing 10 l water. It is heated and stirred until the temperature of a suspension becomes more than 90°. Then, a sheet of woman's all-cotton panty and a sheet of blended fabrics of the all-cotton-to-polyester ratio of 50:50 are put in the suspension and are dyed while being heated for 30 minutes. Afterwards, those fabrics are taken out of the mugwort salt bath and are dried enough in the sun.

[0023] Continuously, those dried fabrics each are dipped in an aqueous solution keeping at 100° C. made by mixing 20 l water with 100 g polyurethane that is mixed with an adequate amount of detergent, is kept for five minutes and then is dried enough.

EXAMPLES 3 AND 4

[0024] 10 kg absinthium, which is rinsed and dried in the shade for 24 hours after it is picked, is cut into small pieces and is put and boiled in a furnace by heating for ten hours. The boiled absinthium is filtered to thus get extraction liquor of 5 l. 1 l out of the extraction liquor is put in a container containing 10 l water and is stirred while keeping the temperature of a suspension at 70° C. Then, a sheet of woman's all-cotton panty and a sheet of blended fabrics of the all-cotton-to-polyester ratio of 50:50 are put in the suspension and are dyed while being heated for 30 minutes. Afterwards, those fabrics are taken out of the mugwort salt bath and are dried enough in the sun.

[0025] Continuously, those dried fabrics each are dipped in an aqueous solution keeping at 100° C. made by mixing 20 l water with 100 g polyurethane that is mixed with an adequate amount of detergent, is kept for five minutes and then is dried enough.

[0026] As the result of measuring the color degree of those fabrics dyed according to the above examples and observing a change of the color degree of the dyed fabrics after washing the fabrics, synthetic fabrics rather than cotton showed a faint color, and the fabrics using the extraction liquor rather than those using the mugwort powder showed a faint color.

[0027] As above described in detail, according to the method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort according to the present invention, this method allows people to keep their health by dyeing mugwort good for health on various fabrics. Particularly, when this method is applied to women's underwear, this can prevent female diseases owing to the efficacies of the mugwort. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort, comprising: a first step of making a mugowt salt bath by adding mugwort powder or mugwort extraction liquor to water; a second step of heating the mugwort salt bath made in the first step, putting a fiber to be dyed therein and stirring the same for 10 to 30 minutes while keeping the temperature of the mugwort salt bath at 50 to 100° C.; and a third step of rinsing the fiber treated in the second step and drying the same.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mugwort powder is made by drying picked mugwort and crushing the same at a grain size of less than 500 μm.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mugwort extraction liquor is extracted by rinsing picked mugwort, drying the same and then heating the same.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a fourth step of dipping the fiber of the third step in an aqueous solution of organic binder with 50 to 80° C. for 5 to 10 minutes, taking the same and then drying the same.
 5. A fibrous product dyed by a method of dyeing a fiber with mugwort, comprising: a first step of making a mugowt salt bath by adding mugwort powder or mugwort extraction liquor to water; a second step of heating the mugwort salt bath made in the first step, putting a fiber to be dyed therein and stirring the same for 10 to 30 minutes while keeping the temperature of the mugwort salt bath at 50 to 100° C.; and a third step of rinsing the fiber treated in the second step and drying the same. 